Newfangled put down


Gary Witheford ‏@GaryWitheford
Sad to report Newfangled was put down today as her pelvis wasn't going to heal sufficiently. Been in the game 30 years but I still get upset

Could have been the best horse Gosden has ever had.
The horse did hit the ground pretty hard and coupled with her exuberience ,probably contributed to her downfall.
Sad news.

How about Winnin Express?
I have to say I wouldn't, usually touch one like this with a long barge poll.
Trained by McMahon, bred by a lightly bred sprinter out of a mare that has produced nothing and deemed by the Racing Post verdict chap as a sprinter.
However she does have stamina on the dam side - Graustark and Deputy Minister are both well up in her pedigree and she is a half sister to a 9 furlong winner, also by a sprinter.

So, she is bred to stay a mile okay.

Minor detail is whether she is good enough.

Well yesterday she won very comfortably indeed from the right ones against her. Heavily backed, she showed them a clean pair of heels and was value for about 2-3 lengths, taking into account the ease of her victory.

Putting a rating on her efforts is not that tricky. She beat a filly rated 103 and another rated 97 back in 3rd, by between 6 and 8 lbs, making her about 111p; a very decent effort and about 7lbs off an average 1000 GUineas winner, so a bit to find, but she,s unbeaten so there should be improvement to come.

She must be available at 100/1 easily enough and stranger things have happened.

I am not going a to bother backing her myself, but she is a bit of fun as it seems likely she would be aimed at the Chevely next and her price might well contract as she should have a decent chance of winning that race.

Just a thought.

I quite like the way Spokeswoman won on her debut over six furlongs on the sand at Kempton the other night. She  quickened up in the style of a smart filly when asked to go about her business, showing natural speed, and left Jubilee Diamond,who was previously beaten about 11 lengths in the Queen Mary, trailing in her wake.She recorded the fastest time of the night.

On that bare form, she has ran to a mark in the high eighties with lots more to come. She is one to keep an eye on for later in the season.

It’s a remarkable state of affairs that by shopping around you can still get 16/1 the field for next year’s Guineas right now, following the sad demise of Newfangled.  The openness of the race is indicated not only by the betting but also the form of most of the Group race action we have seen so far this season: there has been no stand-out filly that has already produced a performance smart enough to win an average renewal of the Guineas.

Latest list of top-rated fillies (up to 5 September, with their Racing Post Ratings, Timeform rating where known in brackets, and form figures):

107 (107)  Sendmylovetorose (A.Oliver)    -111
107 (106p)  Maureen (R.Hannon)    -121
105 (108p)  Certify (M.Al Zarooni)    -11
105 (109p)  Rosdhu Queen (W.Haggas)    -111
105 (108)  My Special J’s (J.P.Shanahan)    -221
105    Baileys Jubilee (M.Johnston)    -116703122
104    Harasiya (J.Oxx)    -112
103 (104)   Ceiling Kitty (T.Dascombe)    -24111
103    Purr Along (W.Muir)    -131
103    Premier Steps (T.Dascombe)    -71342
103    Sara Lucille (F.Head)    -9162
102    Ollie Olga (M.Channon)    -111
102    City Image (R.Hannon)    -1164

Certify won the Gr.3 Sweet Solera Stakes in the style of a potentially smart performer, beating the useful yardstick Sky Lantern (who subsequently filled the same position in the Gr.3 Prestige Stakes).  The bare form of that race is nothing to get excited about, but she did it nicely and it’s worth noting that Godolphin won the same race with White Moonstone (2010) and Discourse (2011), so it’s safe to assume that Certify is highly regarded and capable of further improvement.  There were slight stamina doubts about her beforehand, but she got the 7f really well and should stay another furlong.  The Gr.2 May Hill Stakes and Gr.1 Fillies’ Mile are likely targets.

There was a surprise in the Gr.2 Debutante Stakes when My Special J’s reversed previous Gr.3 placings with Harasiya, but her trainer revealed after the race that he had been confident his filly had improved by 7lbs, which was just enough to get the better of a reluctant-looking Harasiya.  There may have been excuses for the latter, but her high head carriage was off-putting as far as the future is concerned.  The two will lock swords again on better ground in tomorrow’s Gr.1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.  Neither appeals as a likely Guineas winner at this stage.

The Gr.3 Prix du Calvados at Deauville has produced some smart fillies over the years, including (in recent years) Six Perfections, Confidential Lady and Elusive Kate.  But I’ll be surprised if there were any future stars on show in this year’s renewal, with just a couple of lengths covering the first seven fillies home.  The winner Purr Along, who had been beaten in the Star Stakes (Listed) previously, just held on in a driving finish from the fast-finishing (and arguably unlucky) Sara Lucille.  Freddie Head’s progressive filly is the one to take out of the race and could yet make her mark in pattern company.

Charlie Hills’ filly Just The Judge confirmed the promise of her debut win when taking the Washington Singer Stakes (Listed) at Newbury in very pleasing style.  She travelled well (off a moderate pace) and quickened nicely to win her race.  She will get further and looks the type to come into her own next year.  Her next assignment should tell us a lot more about her prospects, but she looks potentially smart.

The Gr.2 Lowther Stakes was marred by the fatal injury to hot favourite Newfangled and the result had little impact on the betting for next year’s Guineas (other than to throw it wide open following the removal of the favourite).  The winner Rosdhu Queen is a very speedy type who could next appear in the Gr.2 Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster next weekend before a crack at the Gr.1 Cheveley Park Stakes or Prix de l’Abbaye.  The form looks decidedly moderate, with exposed fillies filling the places, and there were clearly no potential classic winners on show.

Ollie Olga battled well to beat the consistent Sky Lantern by half a length in the Gr.3 Prestige Stakes at Goodwood.  Mick Channon’s filly was extending her unbeaten record to three and is probably better than the bare form, as she travelled well and showed a good turn of foot.  It will be interesting to see whether she is now aimed at one of the valuable Tattersalls Millions races or whether she will be tested in a more meaningful Guineas trial such as the Gr.1 Fillies’ Mile or Gr.1 Prix Marcel Boussac.

In the last few weeks we have also seen some useful-looking maiden winners.  Winsili won a slowly-run Newmarket maiden (RPR 89) by quite a wide margin under Robert Havlin, but her five closest pursuers have all been beaten again since and I get the impression that she is not rated all that highly (she holds no Gr.1 entries).  She goes for a competitive-looking conditions race at Ascot today.  Spokeswoman was described as ‘quite nice’ by her jockey after showing a good turn of foot to win an ordinary 6f maiden at Kempton (RPR 88).  I can’t recall Godolphin ever having introduced a really smart filly at Kempton and I would hazard a guess that this speedily-bred daughter of Invincible Spirit is not a Gr.1 winner in the making.  Liber Nauticus, who won a mile maiden at Goodwood the other day (RPR 87), is bred for middle distances and holds no Gr.1 entries this season.  I’m not sure whether any smart performers have ever made their debut in a maiden at Ffos Las, but Orpha looked a nice prospect when winning there quite easily on debut (RPR 85).  Mick Channon’s filly is very well regarded and had been working nicely at home.  Her next race on Sunday (the Gr.1 Moyglare Stud Stakes) is the acid test, but her trainer won the race ten years ago with Mail The Desert and knows what it takes to win the race (Silca Chiave also went very close to winning in 2006).

Mikel Delzangles-trained What A Name, the sole French-trained entry for the Gr.1 Cheveley Park Stakes, was a most impressive 7-length winner of a decent conditions race over 6½f at Deauville recently on her second start (she had been narrowly beaten on very soft ground on debut in the Prix de Lisieux).  The Qatari-owned filly (she races in the same colours as Hermival) is very well regarded and reportedly works like a class act at home.  She runs next in the Gr.3 Prix la Rochette on Sunday, where she tackles some promising colts, but her trainer is already looking ahead to Gr.1 races for her and I’ll be disappointed if she fails to win tomorrow.  If all goes well, she will then head for either the Gr.1 Cheveley Park Stakes, the Gr.1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere or the Gr.1 Prix Marcel Boussac.

As far as the antepost market is concerned, the demise of Newfangled has been a bitter blow for those of us who had backed her for the Guineas at fancy prices.  The only three fillies in my book now are Maureen (20/1 and 16/1), Certify (16/1) and What A Name (33/1).

It was interesting to hear Dermot Weld talk about yesterday's Leopardstown winner Big Break, a full-sister to Famous Name, as a filly who could progress into a potential 1000 Guineas prospect.  But Weld's record in the Guineas is non-existent over the last 25 years (when did he last have a runner in the race?) and he has only ever run Famous Name once in the UK in 36 starts.  She's definitely a filly to keep a close eye on (Pat Smullen described her as "a filly with a big, big future"), but I wouldn't be in any hurry to back her at this stage, especially if she is now put away for the winter.

Missed the race - she win well?

Very pleased with that performance by What A Name.  She was always travelling like a class act, quickened well and ran on strongly to win comfortably.  Mikel Delzangles is leaning towards running her next in the Gr.1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere over the same C&D on Arc day, where she will clearly take some beating, rather than the Gr.1 Cheveley Park Stakes, though I don't think she would be inconvenienced by the drop back to 6f.  I have topped up at 16/1 for the Guineas in the belief that she will run very well in the Lagardere and then be aimed at the Guineas (her Qatari owner's family owns Qipco, who sponsor the race).  The form looks sound, with the runner-up having previously run well in Listed company (RPR 96), the third having been beaten 3½ lengths in the Gr.1 Prix Morny (RPR 105), and smart types in fourth and fifth (the latter having already won a Listed race, RPR 98).

James, will she stay a mile? She reminded me of Moonlight Cloud in that she has instant speed.

I have actually had a small play on What a Name though stamina as sint says would be a question mark. I would prefer to see her come for the Cheveley Park as that would be more of an indication that she will travel to our Guineas and if that was her target, I would probably have a little more before that race.

As there does not seem to be a stand-out filly at this stage, the bookies are going to have plenty of quotes coming up for once raced maiden winners that will be a lot shorter than they should be and people will take them - indeed a license for them to print money.

Books must already be blighted with the really promising but ill fated Newfangled dominating the thread. Field looks much of a muchness at the moment maybe another outsider is on the cards again this year to make it 3 years in a row you would have had more chance of a win in a handicap than this race.

I actually think that Sky Lantern improved quite a bit when she won in Ireland. I agree the race was not up to usual standard but she utterly p11ssed it and looks better than when she lost to Certify. I quite like her at current prices - she is underestimated imo because of the line with Certify - she is better than that already.

Certify had the hide whipped off her there think she will be taking a poor view of the racecourse away with her today. Atrocious prices being bandied around for the Guineas did she win head in chest from a class field there or hard ridden and whipped from an average one?

That was impressive

Any quotes anywhere after What a Names run today

Still concerned about the trip for her tbh. I know she has just finished 2nd to a colt over 1m on Heavy at 2yo but it's the speed she shows. I just think she'd be better at shorter.

Was it lack of stamina that did for What a Name or the fact that she was running against a classy colt on very heavy ground ? I would take the latter reasoning and even on that run alone, with the fillies allowance, she has run to a mark of about 110.

It takes an exceptional filly to beat the colts - I can remember Cape Verdi getting beaten at Royal Ascot by Central Park in the Chesham, who wasn't exactly top class. We all know what she went on to achieve.

I was impressed with Just the Judge. Nice turn of foot and pretty versatile as regards ground. Charlie seems a bit more clued up than the old man - 20's seems decent.

Sky Lantern was impressive in the Moyglare and you can only beat what's put in front of you.

I was/am also of the opinion that she was a good 2yo hence why she was sent to Naas of all places ( no disrespect intended just unusual for a UK trainer ) for a Listed contest. Horses can surprise and improve and I'm sure she has turned out to be better than they originally estimated.

But now she goes for the BC and that is a massive negative for me at this stage for the Guineas. Firstly it perhaps confirms the initial impression of striking while the iron's hot.

Secondly the owner doesn't seem to be one of Hannon's major patrons, perhaps she is going there to be in the 'shop window'?

All of the above is most probably complete garbage and in that sense 25s I agree is an excellent price

couple of nice fillies of welds in the opening 2 races at Leopardstown today.

Rasmeyaa a half sister to a group 3 winner that improved from 2 to 3 won impressively.

Big Break, a full sister to Famous Name was 1/2 second quicker and also impressive.

they were around 4 secs faster than the nursery won by a 74 horse. At the moment i'd be rating them both low 100s with a big P.

what figures did you get for them figgis?